If you’re in the tax industry, you know that being knowledgeable about the tax code is not the only important credential you need to do your job. You also have to be good at building relationships, customer service, and networking to gain new clients. For a lot of preparers, social media doesn’t seem like an obvious marketing channel. If you feel this way, I urge you to rethink that notion. Social media is an inherently relationship-building medium that can easily be utilized to help you gain visibility, be seen as a subject matter expert, network online, offer better customer service, and keep your clients informed.
It may be daunting to dive into the social media world, but do it with authenticity, excitement, and some of the tips below and you’re sure to gain some loyal fans and increased visibility.
Be Informative
Don’t post just to post, think about what your fans and followers might find valuable. The more informative and helpful you can be to your community, the better. You should also shy away from excessive self-promotion – no one wants to read marketing messages so keep them to a minimum.
Be locally minded
Your client base lies within the local community. Show them you are locally minded by featuring local news or other local businesses. It’s not all about you; it’s about the community you serve.
Engage
Being social means there’s a two-way conversation. Engage with your fans by asking questions, creating contests, or posting polls. Anything to spark conversation is good because it helps build an active community, and helps increase visibility.
Be consistent and post frequently
Create a posting schedule and plan your posts ahead of time. When you post infrequently or not enough, you run the risk of not being seen. Twitter moves so quickly that posting once or twice a week is not going to ensure that everyone will see your tweets. For Facebook, posts are served up depending on the time they were posted and the level of interaction your overall page has. If you’re posting infrequently on Facebook, chances are you’re not showing up in newsfeeds. The same principle applies to other social media channels – you’ve got to post when your fans are online.
Tag People
Every social media channel has a method of tagging other people or businesses in posts. This is a great way to gain visibility. For example, if you’re sharing a news story on Facebook or Twitter, tag the source. If you’re sharing an article on LinkedIn or Google+, tag the author or the blog/publication.
Know your audience
Every social media channel has its purpose. Know your audience, and think about the types of content that work best for each channel before you post. LinkedIn is a business minded social media channel so articles, blogs, and business oriented discussion topics work best there. On the other hand, Facebook is more lighthearted and visual content works very well there. Do a little research to find out what works on the platforms you are using.
If there’s one thing we hope you take from this blog post, it’s that social media is about being social. Be thoughtful, give back, be engaging and post things that are valuable to your community and you will reap the benefits social media has to offer. If you have a Facebook page, Twitter handle or blog, share it in the comment section below!
Want to learn the marketing strategies that national firms use? Check out our Tax Business Marketing Manual. This manual has all you need to know to market your tax business the way national tax firms do…without having to spend as much. Learn to identify your target clients and reach them more efficiently and effectively. This unique practical guide is full of proven strategies and illustrations of marketing tactics and tools that build revenue.